Heuchera  plant named ‘Carnival Cocomint’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Heuchera  plant named ‘Carnival Cocomint’, characterized by its dark veined, medium green and silver colored foliage, greyed brown and purple-colored flowers, and vigorous, mounded growth habit growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Heuchera×hybrida.

Variety denomination: ‘Carnival Cocomint’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant botanically known as Heuchera×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Carnival Cocomint’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Elburn, Ill. during March 2008. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Heuchera cultivars with unique foliage coloration and mounded growth habit.

The new Heuchera cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Heuchera×hybrida breeding selection coded 142-1b-1b, not patented, characterized by its medium green and silver colored foliage, medium rose-colored flowers, and vigorous, mounded growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Heuchera americana breeding selection coded 148-1d-1, not patented, characterized by its medium green and slightly silver-colored foliage with dark green-colored venation, light green-colored flowers, and moderately vigorous, compact-mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during March 2010 in a controlled environment in Elburn, Ill.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by in vitro propagation since March 2010 in West Chicago, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Carnival Cocomint’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant:

-   -   1. Dark veined, medium green and silver colored foliage;     -   2. Greyed brown and purple-colored flowers; and     -   3. Vigorous, mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having a darker and more contrasting venation area and a different flower color. Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the male parent primarily in having larger leaves, longer petioles, and a different flower color.

Of the many commercially available Heuchera cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Green Spice’, not patented. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Green Spice’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a foliage venation color         different from plants of ‘Green Spice’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from         plants of ‘Green Spice’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Carnival Cocomint’. The plants were grown in one-gallon containers for approximately one year in a greenhouse in West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth habit of ‘Carnival Cocomint’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Carnival Cocomint’.

FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of an individual leaf of ‘Carnival Cocomint’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in May 2012 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced from in vitro plantlets and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in West Chicago, Ill. in one-gallon containers for approximately one year utilizing a soilless growth medium. Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 70° F. to 77° F. (21° C. to 25° C.) during the day and approximately 65° F. to 68° F. (18° C. to 20° C.) during the night. Greenhouse light levels of 2,500 footcandles to 6,000 footcandles were maintained during the day. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Heuchera×hybrida cultivar Carnival     Cocomint. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Heuchera×hybrida breeding             selection coded 142-1b-1b, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary Heuchera americana breeding             selection coded 148-1d-1, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—In vitro propagation is preferred, divisions are             possible.         -   Time to initiate roots in vitro.—Approximately 10 days at             20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots in greenhouse.—Approximately 20 days             at 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet in summer.—Approximately             42 days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white to ivory in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 20 weeks from a rooted             tissue culture plantlet to finish in a 1 gallon container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Clump-forming             herbaceous perennial, mounded foliage.         -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.         -   Outdoor plant performance.—Use as bedding plants or in             mixed-container plantings; at least tolerant to temperatures             up to 35° C. and hardy to USDA zone 3.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 70.0 cm. Height from soil level to top of             foliage: Approximately 30.0 cm. Width: Approximately 64.0             cm.         -   Branching habit.—No branching, basal rosettes of leaves on             petioles. Number of rosettes per plant: Approximately 14. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Moderately durable to environmental             stresses. Quantity of leaves per rosette: Approximately 10.             Fragrance: None. Form: Simple. Arrangement: Alternate.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Blade is nearly perpendicular to petiole.             Shape: Orbicular. Margin: Crenate, shallowly lobed. Apex:             Broadly acute. Base: Cordate, sometimes moderately             overlapping. Venation pattern: Palmate. Length of mature             leaf: Approximately 13.0 cm. Width of mature leaf:             Approximately 13.0 cm. Texture of upper surface: Dull,             slightly rough, sparsely pubescent with short hairs. Texture             of lower surface: Slightly glossy, moderately pubescent with             short hairs. Color of upper surface of young foliage:             Closest to 147D with venation area of 200B and margins of             144A. Color of lower surface of young and mature foliage:             191C with a faint overlay of 187C near venation. Color of             upper surface of mature foliage: Closest to 191D with             venation area of N189A and margins of 137A.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 17.0 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 145A with a             faint overlay of 187C.         -   Stipules.—Two leafy stipules located at the base of each             petiole. Apex: Narrow acute. Length: Approximately 1.5 cm.             Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Color: 145D with an overlay of             187D. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Carnival Cocomint’ flowers once a year             during late spring to midsummer under outdoor conditions.         -   Lastingness of individual flower on the plant.—Approximately             7 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Compound spike emerging from the             base of the rosette with two to three cauline leaves.             Fragrance: None. Length or height excluding the peduncle:             Approximately 26.0 cm. Width: Approximately 13.0 cm.             Quantity of inflorescences per plant: Approximately 10.             Quantity of flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 66.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: Erect to approximately             20° angle from vertical. Length: Approximately 46.0 cm.             Diameter at midpoint: Approximately 3.0 to 4.0 mm. Texture:             Moderately pubescent with short hairs. Color: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single, campanulate,             self-cleaning. Aspect: Drooping to slightly outward.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 4 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Broadly obovate. Length:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland Color: Mixture             of 185A and colorless, transparent. Color: Upper half of             185A with lower half of 144A.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Campanulate. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Depth: Approximately 7.0 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity: 5. Arrangement: Single whorl. Shape:             Narrowly elliptic. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire,             slightly wavy. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Lower half fused             into hypanthium. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous.             Texture of lower surface: Moderately glandular pubescent.             Gland Color: Colorless, transparent. Color of upper and             lower surfaces when first and fully open: 70A.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Campanulate. Diameter: Approximately 5.0 mm.             Depth: Approximately 7.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5. Shape: Elliptic. Appearance:             Dull. Margin of free portion: Entire. Apex: Acute. Base:             Lower half fused into hypanthium. Length: Approximately             7.0 mm. Width at rim of hypanthium: Approximately 2.0 mm.             Texture of upper surface: Glabrous. Texture of lower             surface: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland Color: Mixture             of 185A and colorless, transparent. Color of upper surface:             137C with an overlay of 185A. Color of lower surface: N199C             with 144B at base and 185A at tip.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Moderate. Aspect: The pedicel of the             central flower of each spikelet is directly on top of the             secondary pedicel, pedicels of secondary and tertiary             flowers of each spikelet have an average 40° angle from             vertical. Length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Diameter: Less than             1.0 mm. Texture: Densely glandular pubescent. Gland color:             Mixture of 187A and colorless, transparent. Color: N137A             with a heavy overlay of 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity: 5 per flower.             Anther shape: Ovate. Anther length: Less than 1.0 mm. Anther             color: N25A. Filament length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Filament             color: NN155D. Pollen amount: Sparse. Pollen color: 25C.             Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 2 per flower. Pistil length:             Approximately 9.0 mm. Stigma shape: Pointed. Stigma color:             144D. Style length: Approximately 7.0 mm. Style color: 144D.             Ovary color: 144C. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Heuchera has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Heuchera plant named ‘Carnival Cocomint’, substantially as herein shown and described. 